One Silver Summons
by Saint Bacchus
Summary: Post-series 3. Uther attempts a perilous journey, accompanied by Merlin and Gwen, to deliver a gift for Morgana. *Complete! Thanks for reading and reviewing!*
1. Prologue

**Spoilers:** This story takes place after series 3, and contains the most delicious spoilers for the season.

**Triggers:** Character death.

**Author's Notes: **This story is a semi-sequel to Comedies End With a Wedding. It's not necessary to read that one first, but if you like this one you might want to. :)

Please help me pick my next story topic - vote in the poll on my profile page or send me a PM!

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

"Magic. That was magic. You did magic." Merlin wanted to laugh. He knew that Uther had at least once requested the use of magic, even while forbidding it on pain of death. He had seen Uther do unimaginable things before. Yet somehow, Merlin never thought he would see the day when the king used magic his very own royal self.

"You two will not speak of this, of course." Uther glared at Merlin and Gwen.

"Then you admit that not all magic is evil? Not every sorcerer always wicked?" Merlin said, feeling a little giddy. "I won't run my mouth, I just want to hear you say it once."

"Magic is...unpredictable. Purity of spirit, strength of will - these are of nothing when it comes to magic. Once unleashed, no natural force can stand against it. It is dangerous. Too dangerous."

"I see now. You're afraid. You're afraid because you don't understand it and you can't hit it with a sword."

Uther's eyes glinted dangerously. "Are you calling me a coward?"

"Coward? No. Not at all. I just don't understand why you're afraid of magic and _not_ afraid of looking Death in the eye and calling his mother a yeasty strumpet."

Uther looked over at the woman Merlin had magically bound, sorrow creasing his face. Hers, however, was entirely blank - just like a doll. If she had any idea what was happening to her, she showed no sign.

"Look into her eyes and tell me there aren't some things worse than mere death."


	2. Resurrection

_**One Week Earlier**_

"Do I have to?" Arthur sat in the dining hall with his head buried in his hands. "I don't want to. You do it."

"I can't do, and you know it. This is your destiny, you know, running Camelot." Merlin ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. It had been a month since Morgana usurped the throne of Camelot and was subsequently overthrown by Arthur. Uther had been in steady decline following his daughter's betrayal, and Arthur had taken over as regent. His least favorite of his new duties was hearing from the king's vassals, a crucial task that happened to bore him to tears.

The worst part, Arthur confided in Merlin one night, was that he knew his father would have good advice for him - if only he were capable of giving it. There was no one else who truly understood what it was like to be king, no one else who could guide Arthur when he needed it.

Sir Leon strode purposefully in and stood at Arthur's feet. Normally he didn't stand on ceremony with Arthur, but he hesitated today.

Arthur looked out from between his fingers. "What?"

Merlin kicked him under the table, and he sat up straight and set his hands down on the table.

"Something has happened," said Sir Leon. "It's...Sigrid. The princess of Balfonheim."

"What about her? I don't suppose she got up and started walking about?" Arthur laughed airily. Two years ago, the princess had been betrothed to his father. She would have been the queen of Camelot, if Uther hadn't run her through the day before their wedding.

"Bring 'er in," Sir Leon called out towards the corridor. To Arthur, he explained, "I had her disarmed…just in case."

Sigrid swept in. She had changed out her silk gowns for shining armor and a white fur cloak, but otherwise she looked the same as ever.

Kneeling before him, she said, "Hello again, Arthur. I hope you are well."

"I hope I'm as well as you when I'm dead," said Arthur, not bothering to cover his astonishment.

She smiled. "I would be honored to take your soul to the hall of the gods, if that is your wish."

"Not looking that far ahead, thanks." He turned his palms up. "Let's skip the how you're here for a moment and go straight to the why."

"I wish to see Uther. Where is he?"

Arthur told Merlin to send word to Uther and bring back his response. Merlin hardly knew what to think. Uther had a lot of enemies hell-bent on revenge, and some of them were willing to feign civility, even adoration, to get near enough to kill him. On the other hand, Sigrid was one of the most straightforward people Merlin had ever met. If she wanted Uther dead, he doubted she'd waste time on subterfuge. She'd just plant a knife in his chest and have done with it.

He entered the king's chambers. Uther was staring vacantly out at the town, as he frequently did of late.

"Your Majesty, I have a message from Prince Arthur," said Merlin, bowing. "Princess Sigrid is here to see you. She says you summoned her."

Uther turned around and regarded Merlin with surprise. "Do I have such powers?"

"I think it's more likely Sigrid is the one with the powers, sire. Do you wish to see her?"

"Very much. Send her in."

That was that. Merlin brought the message back to Arthur, who told Sigrid he would accompany her. Sir Leon pointed out that the Council were still waiting for Arthur's return, however. Groaning, Arthur ordered Merlin to go instead.

Merlin let her in to the king's chambers and positioned himself next to the door. He felt larger and more awkward than usual, somehow, as if he were taking up a lot of space.

"Your son has sent an escort," said Sigrid, nodding over her shoulder at Merlin.

"Do forgive him. He's not ready to see me dead just yet."

"Hmph. What sort of gutless dog would murder in a bedchamber? I would see you die in glorious battle and return with me to the hall of the gods." Her English was much improved since the last time she was in Camelot, but she still had an accent that made her speech sound exotic.

"Would that everyone were so honest. Then you aren't here for revenge?"

"Now, Uther. You do so few things out of love, why be angry just because you happened to cause my death? I never believed you meant to harm me." She smiled wistfully. "In faith, you would not have landed that blow at all if I hadn't allowed it."

Uther pulled Sigrid into a tight embrace. Merlin didn't need to see the king's expression to understand how very much he wanted to hear that.

He closed his eyes and tried to use his magic to sense Sigrid's intentions. At least he might be able to find out if she was still human. He relaxed, allowing the magic to flow through him, feeling what she felt. Compassion and affection, overwhelmingly. Concern. Resolve. And...fear? Just a little bit, but she was definitely afraid of something. He pushed a bit more.

Annoyance! With a start, Merlin opened his eyes to find Sigrid peering into them, nose-to-nose with him.

"What are you doing, Merlin?" she asked. It still sounded like "marlin" when she said it.

"I? Um? Nothing!"

"Have you seen enough? Are you satisfied that my intentions are honest?"

"Well, I -"

"Get out," Uther explained.

Merlin took his leave.

* * *

><p>Arthur fixed Merlin with an expression nearly identical to the one that had chased him out of the king's chambers.<p>

"Merlin, for the love of all that is good, I told you to keep an eye on Sigrid! I will be very cross if my father has a dagger sticking out of his back the next time I see him."

"I don't think that's the kind of impaling she has in mind," Merlin cracked, regretting it even before the sentence was out of his mouth.

"You know what? I'm letting that one go," said Arthur. He took a deep breath and pushed it back out. "There, it's gone. Now what are you basing this on?"

"I'm positive she means him no harm. In fact, I'd be much surprised if the king isn't feeling like his old self tomorrow."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Sigrid had gone and Uther was indeed practically a new man. Merlin wondered if he dared trying his empath spell on the king. Sigrid sensed it, but she must surely have some sort of magic running through her. Dead people didn't get a second bite at the apple as a matter of course.<p>

Arthur encouraged his father to go riding, perhaps hunting. Something enjoyable and preferably outdoors, which the king had not seen in some time. That would perform the dual function of bolstering his mood and the confidence of the people in their king. Uther agreed and left for a ride immediately after breakfast.

"It's about time we had some good news," Arthur sighed. "Thank all the bastions of goodness Sigrid came when she did. Reanimated corpse or not, I'm grateful to her."

Gaius pulled Merlin away to discuss the matter in private. Merlin described as best he could how he had sensed her emotions in Uther's chambers.

"She was most certainly dead. We all saw the funeral pyre. Could she be a wraith?" Gaius mused.

"Definitely not. The Black Knight wasn't anything like a living man. Sigrid was just the same as ever, like nothing had happened."

"Peculiar. But you didn't sense any hostility from her?"

"Ah, no, more like the opposite of that," said Merlin dryly. "Although...I did sense fear."

"Of what?"

"No idea. Nothing immediate. It was vague, unfocused."

"This bodes ill, Merlin. Something is not right here."

"Let's just hope you're wrong, then."

Gaius nodded solemnly. "I do."


	3. A Quest

Uther was in fine form for the next fortnight. Arthur was relieved but cautious, urging him to take things easy for a while. Gaius concurred, but Uther insisted that he was feeling fine and wouldn't be coddled.

They argued about who should be doing what until Arthur laid a hand on his father's shoulder and said, "I'm not trying to take anything before my time, so, with great reluctance and against the advice of the royal physician...I am willing to relinquish the Council meetings." That pleased Uther, but not nearly as much as it pleased Arthur.

"You'll note," Uther told Gaius later, during the weekly physical examinations Gaius had implemented, "That he left me with the dullest chore." He chuckled, and Gaius smiled.

"The opinion of the court physician is that you can handle even the most tiresome tasks. You seem to have made a full recovery, sire."

Uther nodded, but his smile faded and he seemed to drift away somewhere in his mind.

Outside the citadel, a letter arrived on the back of a snowy white horse fitted with magnificent tack...but no rider. Sir Leon had the horse put up in the royal stables and requested an audience with the king and regent both.

"It's Sigrid's mount," he said, meeting Arthur and Uther in the council chambers. "The same one she came on before - I'd recognize her anywhere." He handed the letter to Uther. "This was addressed to you, sire."

The letter was sealed with some sort of rune, rather than a house crest. As Uther skimmed it, his face darkened. "I will speak to my son alone."

Sir Leon nodded and left briskly.

When he was gone, Uther said, "The letter is from your sister."

Arthur scowled. "I have no sister."

"Don't be a child," Uther said impatiently. "I regret that my indiscretion has brought all this about, but what's done can hardly be undone."

"Fine, then. So what does Sissy have to say?"

"I have been thinking on a great many things since...that time, and I find myself returning to one idea again and again. Could she have been enchanted during the year she was missing?"

"It's possible," Arthur said slowly. Uther's desperate desire to believe was plain on his face. It was difficult for Arthur to see his father so vulnerable, when he had always been so strong. He wondered if this was new, or whether his father had simply hidden these kinds of feelings before.

"I sent Sigrid to find out. And Morgana has apparently taken her hostage." Uther held up the letter. "They're at Cenred's old castle."

"Then we should send an overwhelming force. It's time to end this."

"No," said Uther quickly. "I will go alone and speak with her."

"Father, she is a traitor. She will not rest until one of us is dead. Her army has fallen - this is the opportune time to eliminate her."

"Do not speak of her like some stray dog to be drowned!" Uther's voice shook with fury.

Most shied away from Uther when his blood was up, but Arthur moved closer. "You have never in your life treated Morgana as your daughter. Why should I treat her as a sister?"

"How can you say that? I have always treated her like a daughter!"

"_Like_ a daughter, maybe. But you never recognized her."

"I didn't want her to claim a right to the throne, and it seems that was a wise decision!"

Arthur rubbed his eyes. He was used to mediating disputes. It was easy when you had no stake in the outcome, no consequences if you said the wrong thing. He was not used to giving his father his unvarnished opinion, but if any situation they had faced called for the plain truth, this was it.

"It would have shown trust. Whatever your reasons, you didn't trust her enough to tell her the truth. And your campaign against magic probably terrified her, since she wasn't to know you wouldn't chop her head off at any convenient time."

Arthur's words sank into Uther like the blades of an iron maiden. He bowed his head, unable to meet his son's clear gaze. He had been over and over this, yet never come to the same conclusions as Arthur. Had he really been so blind to what was happening in his own house?

Ever since Morgana's betrayal, despair had been hollowing him out from the inside; it took everything he had to summon enough resolve to go on, but now he saw that he must. Instinctively, he reached for the crystal pendant lying close to his heart. Sigrid had given it to him, instructing him not to take it off. If he accomplished nothing else, he hoped he could at least free her.

"Give me a fortnight before sending the army," said Uther. "Then do as you see fit."

Arthur considered this for a moment. "A week. That's enough to get to Cenred's castle."

He held out his hand, and they shook on it.

* * *

><p>Merlin and Gwen looked at each other, then back at Arthur, then back at each other. It was as if they had choreographed their response.<p>

"It would be useful to know what we're supposed to be helping him do," Merlin pointed out.

"You don't need to worry about it," said Arthur. "My father's mission is on his shoulders alone. Once he gets to Morgana, I doubt there will be anything either of you can do to change the outcome."

"But why us? We aren't knights. We don't go on quests."

"Obviously I'll send an escort as well. I can't send too many without leaving Camelot exposed." Arthur's fists clenched in frustration. He had considered the situation from all angles, and he could not ignore the possibility that Morgana meant to lure Camelot's force away from the castle town. "You two are my most trusted friends. I would not ask if I could go myself."

"I understand. Camelot needs you here," said Gwen, taking up his hands and smiling reassuringly. "I will be honored to go."

Arthur murmured his thanks, kissing her hands.

"It was getting dull, all this regular eating and not being in mortal peril," said Merlin. He held his hands up for kisses too. Gwen and Arthur each punched one of his arms. They left one another's company all smiles, though the cheer quickly faded as they each set about their preparations.

Arthur trusted Gwen and Merlin implicitly, but his father was both unfathomable and more volatile than ever. He didn't even have time to wallow in his frustration and helplessness; he had to consider military strategy in the likely event that his father was unsuccessful in bringing Morgana back to Camelot.

His sister would only cause more suffering if she were allowed to live. She had forced this situation and she would have to pay the price. He had no choice but to protect Camelot. Arthur knew all this, and still he hated himself for what he was about to do.

He took a moment to lock these feelings away as if storing some obsolete armor in a chest. Then he drew himself up to full height and summoned the Council to discuss war.

* * *

><p>Gaius had a number of tinctures lined up neatly on his workbench, and was just stoppering a final one when Merlin returned that evening.<p>

"Merlin, I'd like you deliver these to the king tomorrow morning," he said, eyes on his work.

"Might as well just hold onto them, then. I'm going along."

Gaius looked up in surprise. "But why?"

"Arthur wanted me to go." Merlin shrugged. "Maybe he thinks Uther needs someone around to talk rubbish and fight like a girl."

"This is no time for jokes, Merlin. You know as well as I do that this is a suicide mission."

Gaius was genuinely agitated; Merlin suddenly felt extremely awkward, but he sucked it up and smiled as reassuringly as he could.

"Aren't they all? Don't worry. A man who's destined to hang can't die by drowning." That was meant to be a joke, but it didn't lighten the mood much.

"Merlin, promise me something. I know subjects have a duty to die for their king, but -"

"Say no more. This might be a suicide mission, but it's not my suicide."

Gaius folded Merlin into a bear hug.

"See that it isn't. I'm counting on you."

* * *

><p>"This is madness," said Elyan. "Why wouldn't Arthur send me, or - or any of his Round Table?"<p>

"He can't leave Camelot unguarded. Elyan…this trip is a state secret. You can't discuss it with anyone."

"But -"

Gwen reached up and stroked her brother's cheek, taking him by surprise. "Arthur needs you here, Elyan. And he needs me to go with his father."

She turned away and returned to her packing.

"The man who had our father executed." Elyan frowned, flexed his fingers. "And now he goes to slay his own daughter? I don't know how you can stand to serve him."

"I don't. I serve Arthur. Whatever Uther's actions bring upon his head is nothing to me. And the same goes for Morgana. If he does intend to kill her, then…either way, the world is well shot of a tyrant." She said all this in a rush of breath, forcing the words out of her mouth when her heart wanted nothing more than to hold them back.

Hearing the note of sadness in her voice, Elyan touched her hand. "You can't fool me with that hard attitude. You've been Arthur's strength through all this…but who is yours?"

"That depends. Will you still be here when I return?" This time she meant her words to be gentle, but they came out filled with reproach.

Resigned, Elyan left her alone to her packing.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> In case you were wondering, the handshake has been around in its current form since at least Roman times. But if you prefer, you can imagine Arthur and Uther doing the macho, sexy gladiator handshake that Uther and Alined do in "Sweet Dreams."


	4. Winterbourne

Merlin met Gwen, Uther, and the knights escort early the next morning. It was a bright, crisp autumn day and all were dressed for travel. Merlin noticed that none of the noblemen were wearing house colors or carrying heraldic shields, and they were apparently hiding their chain mail underneath simple tunics. Uther announced that he would henceforth be known as "Ambrose Aurelius" for the duration of the trip.

"As long as he won't be attracting any attention," Merlin whispered to Gwen.

"It was my brother's name…_Merlin_." Uther arched an eyebrow sardonically.

The knights laughed. Gwen looked dismayed, but Merlin smiled and shrugged, playing along. Arthur's servant knew better than to take himself too seriously around knights.

They traveled for two days without incident, slowed by the Forest of Aescetir. Merlin knew they would find themselves half a day's ride to Escetia's border - and his hometown of Ealdor - when they emerged from the forest.

More than once as they rode, Merlin noticed Gwen staring into the middle distance, worry creasing her brow.

"I'm sure he's all right," said Merlin.

"Oh, I'm sure he is too, it's just -" Gwen caught herself. "Wait a minute, how did you know what I was thinking?"

"Because I was thinking the same thing."

They crossed an enormous grassy plain on the third day. As they traveled, the air grew still and the sunlight dimmed until it seemed like they were riding through an enormous custard. In the distance, Merlin could just make out some sort of structure.

Black clouds began to gather overhead.

"Well, that's inauspicious," said Merlin.

"Indeed," said Uther, speaking for the first time in more than a day. "Yet we have no choice but to seek shelter. If memory serves, it is a convent school. That should be safe enough."

By the time they reached the school, rain was coming down in sheets and they could only make out the building when lightning illuminated the plain. Merlin made out the word "Winterbourne" on a sign during one of the brief flashes.

Sir Nicholas, the most senior of the knights escort, hammered on the door.

Uther pulled Merlin back. "This thunderstorm…there is something unnatural about it."

Merlin had to agree. The place felt like nothing he had ever felt before. He was repulsed and attracted to it at the same time, as if smelling a sweet perfume masking the odor of blood.

"You shall be Ambrose Aurelius tonight. I shall be Merlin."

"Begging your pardon, Your Majesty, but I can't order you around. I like my head where it is."

The door opened, and a woman stood aside to let them in.

"It is an order from your sovereign. You have my word there will be no repercussions." Uther pulled off his traveling cloak and handed it to Merlin. "Do try not to go drunk with power."

They crowded into the entrance hall.

"Come in, good sirs. What a dreadful storm. I am Catherine, the headmistress of this school."

Sir Nicholas introduced the knights first. When he got to "Ambrose Aurelius," Merlin corrected him. "Don't try to be funny, Nick. Merlin already thinks he's some sort of lord without you feeding his ego."

As one, the knights all looked at Uther, who inclined his head a bit, indicating they should play along.

"Begging my lord's pardon," said Nicholas, bowing a little.

"Why don't you all join me for supper?" said Catherine. "There isn't much here, but you are all welcome to share."

As she led them towards the dining hall, she explained that the students had been temporarily sent home over a health scare. Meanwhile, she was alone and welcomed the company.

The food was simple but wholesome. Merlin was not yet so used to castle banquets that country fare disgusted him, but he played his part and pretended to pick at it. He was unused to having wine with his meals, but it was more than welcome after the freezing rain outside.

"Merlin," said Catherine, addressing Uther, "How is it you come to be in the employ of this - if you'll pardon me - dashing young squire?"

"I served his father," said Uther, without missing a beat. "Lord Uther."

"Long live he!" The knights clinked their cups together cheerfully. Uther smiled, amused.

"When we are questing, you serve me, not Father," Merlin said, making sure to put a little whinge into it. "Or it will be your heads."

The knights quieted down, but some glared at him mutinously.

Merlin's good sense told him he should stop talking, but he was warming to his role, as well as the wine. "I am on a very important quest. I search for the Cup of Life."

Catherine smiled quizzically.

"Didn't our King Cenred already locate that artifact?" she asked.

"His Majesty may have done, it is nothing to me."

"But that makes no sense," said Uther. "How can you purport to find an object that is not lost?"

"You will address me as 'Your Highness' or 'my lord' at all times, _Merlin_. Do not forget your place."

He and Uther held each other's gaze.

"But of course," Uther bit out from between gritted teeth. "A loyal servant always shows the proper respect, lest he find himself on the gallows."

"Keep that in mind and you'll live forever." Merlin raised his glass and drank to himself. Or possibly Uther, he wasn't sure which anymore.

Catherine smiled. "To carry one's burdens in this vale of tears forever? What a dreadful curse."

"I didn't curse anyone! Who says I cursed them?" Merlin was alarmed. Did he do magic? Did someone see?

"I think my lord needs a bit of respite," said Gwen, getting up. "He gets…tired."

Uther stood too, grabbed Merlin by his collar, and dragged him back to the entrance hall. Wordlessly, he tossed Merlin out on the front stoop into the pouring rain and slammed the door shut.

"I warned you," Uther called through the door.

"No, it's not power. It's wine. Wine is what I'm drunk with," Merlin called back. "But, um, I'm better now. This is very refreshing."

Uther opened the door, and Merlin stumbled back inside.

"If you can't hold your liquor, be sure you can trust your drinking companions," said Uther.

"Wasn't that just one cup?" Merlin didn't drink much, but he couldn't be that much of a lightweight.

"Four by my count. The headmistress refilled it several times. Be aware of your surroundings, boy." Uther shook his head disapprovingly. "That you've survived this long beggars belief. Arthur must take good care of you indeed."

Catherine appeared in the doorway, sparing Merlin from having to respond.

"If you're all through with supper, perhaps you'd like to see the chapel? We have a very special artifact. It is not the Cup of Life, but perhaps it would interest my lord."

"It will be my pleasure," said Merlin, bowing so low he nearly lost his balance. With one hand, Uther pulled him back up by his collar before he could topple over. The knights chuckled, and one of them saluted.

When they reached the chapel, Catherine drew back a veil from an exquisite statue of a woman dressed in fine robes. "Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of penitents. We do not have a priest to take our confessions, but our lady serves. Come, would any of my battle-weary brothers care to lay his head at her feet?"

The knights, normally so bold, stood like so many scarecrows.

"Our young master should take the place of honor," said Uther, smirking at Merlin.

Not at all sure what to expect, Merlin knelt before the statue. After a little while thinking of nothing in particular, the memory of poisoning Morgana bubbled up from his subconscious. Although he had felt, and did feel, that it was necessary, it was still an evil. He had never been able to seek forgiveness from Morgana, nor was it likely he ever could.

Longing to lay down the burden of guilt, he could feel the statue reaching out to take it up, like a loving mother drawing a child to her bosom. It was a wonderful feeling. After a few minutes at the feet of the statue, Merlin stood back up feeling refreshed and not especially cursed or dead.

Following Merlin's example, each of the men in turn knelt before the statue, and each rose with a somewhat lighter step. After the lords, it was time for the servants.

"Merlin," said Merlin, addressing Uther, "Do not keep the lady waiting."

The look Uther gave him made Merlin's neck ache.


	5. Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow

The boy had nerve, Uther had to give him that. He himself had enjoyed the give-and-take of his fellows when he was younger, but the tireless defense of Camelot had long since worn him down. He now preferred his court more…amenable. But Arthur would form his own court on his own terms, and Uther couldn't afford to worry about that anymore.

He wondered how long he would have to kneel before he could retire to bed. Perhaps the patron saint of sinners was too busy to visit a remote outpost like this one.

Uther's mind wandered…and found itself looking down from a high tower at Gaius, tied to a stake and preparing to burn. He recoiled from the sight, as he had that day. Shame and regret filled him, but when he felt he could endure no more, the pain siphoned away like venom from a snake's bite.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the statue's beatific face, moved. Lowering his eyes again, he summoned up another sin, and another, and another until he did not know how long he had been there. He lingered a bit over his affair with Vivienne, his betrayal of both his best friend and his wife.

And then there was the matter of Ygraine's death.

He broke away, stood up, shook the mist from his head. That stain would remain on his soul forever. He could not ask forgiveness for his part in Ygraine's death, for he was unwilling to forgive himself.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, entirely invisible to the king, Merlin and Gwen looked at each other. The knights had already repaired to their sleeping quarters.<p>

"He's getting into it, isn't he?" said Merlin.

"Perhaps he has a lot to confess," said Gwen coldly.

"Still, we probably shouldn't leave him alone."

Gwen gave Merlin a look, but she knew he was right. What if the statue came to life or a secret passage opened, or assassins rappelled in through the stained glass windows…she yawned and tried to think of anything but sleep.

"_Merlin…Merlin, I have something to show you…."_

The young warlock snorted and jumped a little. He wasn't sleeping, was he? Just resting his eyes a little. They seemed so very heavy….

"_Merlin!"_

"What!" Merlin looked around, but the voice wasn't Gwen's. She was looking at him like he'd sprouted wings. "Did you hear that?"

"I didn't hear a thing. You look exhausted. Why don't you go to bed? I'll look after Uther."

Merlin looked over to the dais where Uther was still kneeling in front of the statue. "Sweet charity, is he still at it? That's a life well-lived, that is."

Gwen smiled, although she supposed she shouldn't find that funny. Merlin bid her good night and left the chapel.

"_Take the next left, Merlin. Follow the sound of my voice, and all will be revealed."_

This time, Merlin heard it quite clearly. He knew the voice. It was Freya. He took the next left.

* * *

><p>After seeing Uther to his quarters, Gwen was relieved to finally get to her own. She set down her traveling pouch and took out a hairbrush. She didn't tell any of the men she'd brought that among her essentials, not even Merlin. Gwen did not go on quests. She avoided Uther if she could help it. In general, she tried to stay away from knights who were not Arthur. Brushing her hair made her feel more like herself, and less like a small girl on a dangerous mission in a foreign land.<p>

She tried to keep her mind off Arthur. No good; instead she worried about Morgana. However unforgivable Morgana's recent actions had been, Gwen couldn't help thinking about the girl whose hair she used to braid with flowers. She shivered a little. Had the room gotten colder, or was it a trick of the mind?

There was a veil over the mirror. Gwen pulled it off and gasped as she saw her father standing behind her. Whirling around, she found herself in his arms. He hugged her and said her name, as if he couldn't believe it either.

"Guinevere, we don't have much time. There's something I need to tell you."

"Yes, anything. What is it?" Gwen searched his face, but she couldn't find a flaw - this man, or phantom, looked, sounded, and even smelled just like her father.

He smiled reassuringly. "You're a smart girl, Gwen. Always have been. That's what's kept you alive in the house of Pendragon. So I know you'll listen to me when I give you a warning."

"Of course, daddy."

"Uther knows about you and Arthur. He knows, and he's going to kill you out here, where no one will ever find your body."

A chill ran through Gwen's spine, and she trembled a bit.

"B-but surely Arthur wouldn't have sent me along if it were so dangerous…." She didn't want to believe his words, but she didn't put anything past Uther Pendragon, either.

"Arthur's a dutiful son. He's blind to his father's true nature." Tom took up his daughter's hands, pressing them to his heart. "Uther will kill you," he said sadly. "And there's nothing I can do to stop it."

An icy fist clenched in Gwen's stomach.

"…Unless you kill him first, of course."

"I…I can't do that." Gwen blinked away tears.

"Guinevere, I thought we understood each other. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me. I never had justice when I was alive, so you must win it for me in my death." His gentle brown eyes searched her face, and he brushed her cheek with cold fingers. "Are you as loving a daughter as Arthur Pendragon is a son?"

* * *

><p>Uther pulled off his boots and stretched out on the bed. It had been such a long time since he'd last been questing, he had forgotten how exhausting it was. Or was it just that he was feeling his age? He pushed away these thoughts; they were not useful to him at present.<p>

Instead he focused on Morgana, picturing her sweet smile, her dismay when she'd disagreed with him. The way she'd shyly taken his hand for the first time after Gorlois's death, and how he'd held her close when she was frightened. Holding those precious memories close warded away fresher ones of her satisfaction as she took his crown, and her enjoyment of his suffering she'd visited on him.

"Uther," said a soft voice. "I am troubled."

He turned to find Ygraine sitting next to him. Astonished, he took up her hands and kissed them. They felt cold, but he barely noticed. He had been slipping again into the melancholy that paralyzed him of late, and Ygraine's beautiful face was like a lifeline.

"What troubles you, my love?"

She smiled and kissed him. Her lips were cold, too. Uther knew he should not trust her, and yet she was so like Ygraine in every detail that his heart skipped a beat.

"Our son. He grows strong and proud under your guidance…but he has a weakness."

"Worry not about Arthur. I have seen to it that he is ready to take the mantle of leadership. He will make a fine king and a worthy successor to the Pendragon dynasty."

Ygraine sighed and turned away. "If you say so, I am bound to agree, my lord."

"What do you mean? What is this weakness you speak of?"

"The girl Guinevere. She aspires to the throne, and she will stop at nothing to get it. I can scarcely believe that you have grown so soft as to allow her to remain in your household."

"What would you have me do, my queen?" he said softly.

"You must eliminate Guinevere, of course. For Arthur's sake."

He observed her for a few moments, stroking her golden hair and brushing her cheek gently. But he could not stay with her. He kissed her one last time and slipped out of the room, dagger clenched in one fist. Silently, he pushed the nearest door open and peered inside. Seeing no one, he moved on to the next.

* * *

><p>"He's here. Don't disappoint me."<p>

The phantom vanished, but the chill stayed in the room. Gwen let out a choking sob, frantically searching for her things. Next to her bag, there was a knife glittering in the candlelight.

The door opened. From her position huddled on the floor, the figure in the doorway looked like a giant. He was holding a dagger.

Gwen held her breath and clutched her knife close to her chest. The figure closed the distance between them in just a few short steps.

Uther knelt beside her in the dim and flickering pool of light cast by her single candle. He put the dagger in his belt and held out his hand.

"Come. There is some manner of enchantment on this place. We are in grave danger."

Gwen blinked in surprise, fresh tears rolling unheeded down her cheeks.

"I saw my father," she said, without thinking. "He told me to kill you." She shook her head. "He was a good man, loyal. He would never have said such a thing."

Even as she spoke, she chastised herself for losing her head. What an idiotic thing to say to a man who valued her life just above livestock - especially one who was willing to execute anyone even hinting at treason.

He frowned, looking over her face as if seeing her for the first time. Then he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. "It must have been painful to see him like that. I regret my part in it."

That was the last thing Gwen expected him to say. She thanked him and dabbed at her eyes, dropping the knife as she did so.

"Keep that," said Uther. "You may need it."

He helped her up, and they went to find the others.

* * *

><p>Freya was waiting for Merlin in the chapel. Odd, he thought he'd just come from there. But he couldn't find it in him to care much about that when the love of his life was standing in front of him.<p>

"There are so many things I wanted to say to you," he said. "So much we could have done. Is it really you?"

Freya smiled at him, sweet and happy, just as he always wanted to see her. She didn't say a word; she didn't have to.


	6. Sin and Punishment

As Gwen followed Uther through the corridors, the school seemed to age decades in just seconds. The wallpaper peeled, the walls cracked, mold and filth coated every surface.

"What's happening?" she murmured, though no answer was forthcoming.

They opened door after door, finding nothing but rotting furniture and the occasional bloodied corpse of a knight.

"Sir Nicholas and Sir John," said Uther, as they came upon the bodies of the last two knights.

"We haven't come across Merlin yet," Gwen said hopefully.

"Indeed. We'll try the chapel next."

"My lord?"

"I think that statue is the cause of these…apparitions."

Privately Gwen wondered how that could be, when she hadn't confessed anything regarding her father, but she didn't argue.

When they reached the chapel, they found Merlin wrapped around the statue. Squinting to be sure she was seeing what she was seeing, Gwen approached slowly. As her view grew clearer, she only felt more like she must be mistaken. Was he…_kissing_ the statue? No, not just kissing it. Kissing it passionately, like a lover.

Gwen called to him, but he showed no sign of hearing.

"Allow me," said Uther, walking around to the back of the statue. He drew his dagger matter-of-factly, as if he dealt with demonic statuary every day, and plunged the knife into the saint's back.

The thing let out a horrible wail. At the same time Merlin fell over backwards, unconscious, link severed.

"Show yourself," Uther commanded. "Always skulking in the shadows like rats…come out, you cowards!"

A mirthless laugh rattled through the chamber. From the shadows emerged a woman dressed in velvet robes of emerald green. It was Headmistress Catherine - although Gwen could now see that she was covered in Druidic tattooing.

"Ever the hypocrite, Uther, bringing your own mage." She tsk-tsked. "Not so shameless you couldn't give our lady quite the bellyful, though."

"Air your grievances, witch. It will be the last thing you do."

"Do you remember me? I suppose not. I was only a child when we last met. As for me, I will never forget the face that set fire to my home and murdered my parents."

"What did you do to the boy?"

"Me? Nothing. The accumulated sin of generations of penitents lives in this ground, a formless and rudderless rage that strikes when and how it chooses." She smirked. "There is, however, the matter of what I did to _you_…." Into her hands appeared some sort of small obelisk, gold with an enormous ruby set in one end.

That got Uther's attention. He twirled his sword around in a neat wrist flick that Gwen recognized from Arthur's doing. It was both a taunt and a warning, informing his opponent that he could afford to waste a few seconds showing off. The Druid took the opportunity to draw her own sword, and they were at it.

* * *

><p>Merlin blinked. He was staring at the ceiling, somehow. The last thing he remembered was seeing Freya…. He sat up and saw Uther in a deathmatch with a woman in flowing robes.<p>

Uther was a skilled swordsman, but he was aging and unpracticed, and his sword only simple steel. The sorceress fought with a sword that she magically extended into a whip when it suited her, and she was also well-trained. It did not take her long to wrap the thorned whip around Uther's neck, and it would not have taken her long to choke the life out of him.

Merlin made a snap decision. He concentrated on the sorceress…but nothing happened.

She pulled the whip tighter, then slackened it a bit to allow Uther to catch his breath. "I am Hypatia, last scroll keeper of the Druids. And I will end you, Uther Pendragon."

As Merlin watched, he felt a rare moment of perfect clarity. He realized that he could not stop Hypatia because deep down, he didn't want to. How many times had he wished Uther to suffer as his victims had? How many times had he saved Uther's life all the while wishing fervently that he didn't have to?

This time, there was no horrible consequence in the offing. Arthur could hardly blame him - indeed, Arthur could hardly be surprised - if circumstances beyond Merlin's control conspired to kill Uther. On the other hand, the consequences would almost certainly be dire if Merlin revealed his powers to save the king's life here.

"Merlin…!"

It was Gwen, beseeching him to do something, anything. She was clutching a red handkerchief embroidered with a gold dragon.

_Arthur_, thought Merlin. _I swore an oath that I would see his father through this, and that is what I will do._

He focused his desire to stop Hypatia into a swirling vortex of wind and fire. She screamed, a horrible shriek of anger and fear, as the whirlwind incinerated her and scattered her ashes.

When it was over, Uther looked straight at Merlin, eyes wide. He kept an eye on Merlin even as he moved cautiously over to the scorched spot where Hypatia stood, and bent down to pick up the item she had stolen from him.

"Even you, Merlin…you, a sorcerer?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." There seemed no point in denying it now.

Uther shuddered. "You…are banished from Camelot. May you never cross my borders again, on pain of death."

"I just saved your life!" Merlin protested, but he could already tell it was no use. The king was clearly terrified. How ironic that he was one of the few people against whom Merlin would never use magic.

Gwen was watching from a distance, chewing her nails. Uther turned on her. "And you - you do have designs on the throne, don't you? Don't lie!"

She shook her head, but there was no telling Uther anything in the state he was in.

"I banish you, banish you both! If I ever see either of your faces again, I swear on my life it will be the last thing you ever do!"

Merlin turned to Gwen, and was heartbroken to realize that she too was afraid. He tried to explain, but she held up a hand, silently begging him to stop talking. Merlin took the hint and gave her some space.

He thought of Freya, and felt ill. Whether Hypatia or the free-floating evil of this place, some of his favorite - and most personal - memories had been used against him. It was not only cruel, it was entirely incidental to Hypatia's plan to steal Uther's bauble. She was just like him. She didn't care who she hurt.

"I'm not like that," Merlin murmured to himself, as he passed through the ruined corridors of the former school. "I'm better than that."

He emerged into a dewy dawn and watched the sun rise, thinking of nothing in particular.

* * *

><p>Gwen watched Merlin leave the ruined chapel. Her legs felt as if they might give out at any moment. She sank down to her knees and sobbed hysterically into Uther's handkerchief for a few moments. When the flurry passed, she was able to think more clearly.<p>

Merlin was magical. What if he turned, like Morgana? Gwen had just witnessed him kill a woman with a mere thought. What kind of damage could an evil Merlin do to Camelot? And yet…he had been protecting Arthur all this time, unaided and unacknowledged, risking his own life every time he used magic to save another.

Gwen made her way outside, where she found Merlin gazing out at the horizon.

"I suppose it's up to you what you'd like to do," he said. "But I'm going after Uther."

"What are you going to do when you find him?"

"Help him, of course. It's what Arthur would do if he were here."

Gwen nodded. "I understand. Even if Uther never will."

* * *

><p>Morgause cursed. Her magical power was still too weak to reach Merlin at such a distance, but she was able to address him with coarse language. She did so until her throat went dry with the effort.<p>

The warlock would be a great ally, if only he could be convinced to aid his own interests. Instead, he stood steadfastly at the side of those who would torture and kill him simply for being born. And there - there, she could see in the crystal that indeed Uther was spurning him. Surely now Merlin would have to accept reality. Even if he didn't turn his coat, perhaps he would at least stop interfering.

But there was something else in the crystal…Uther hadn't been so eager to get away that he'd forgotten the object Hypatia was holding. Whatever that was, both he and Hypatia had thought it important.

She picked up a pearl filled with white mist and rolled it around her hand, concentrating. The valkyrie Sigrid was handy to have around as a guard, but she had a more important purpose now. Elsewhere in the castle, Sigrid's body responded to Morgause's silent command: find Uther, fetch the object. She left at once.

Morgana entered Morgause's chamber and asked after her health. Morgause had been badly injured in her last battle with Merlin, but thanks to her sister's persistence, she was now nearly back to full strength. They had also spent nearly every minute together since then. Morgause was grateful, of course, but she was starting to feel like she had grown a second head.

"What word from our friend?"

"Hypatia is dead," said Morgause. "It's for the best. She was going to betray us and take her vengeance on Uther."

"Hmph. Can't say I blame her. And the rest?"

"Merlin and Guinevere are the only ones left."

"For commoners, they certainly lead charmed lives. Will they be a problem?"

"Doubtful. Uther left them behind, probably on pain of death."

Morgana tossed her hair and laughed. "Just like him to kick his own guard dogs. He'll never learn."

"Still, we shouldn't underestimate them. Let's be ready."


	7. Maes Knoll

Uther traveled alone for two more days. He slept fitfully, and when he was awake he was haunted by the feeling that he was being watched. To stop his mind straying from his mission, he held Morgana's seal at all times.

_You cannot begin to know how much I hate you_. He'd thought it over when he was in the dungeons with nothing to do but think things over. The conclusion that he returned to again and again, no matter how hard he tried, was that he could not hate Morgana. Whatever she did, whatever she was. The more he loathed a trait in himself, the more he wished to forgive it in his daughter.

_You never treated her as a daughter. She wasn't to know you wouldn't chop her head off._ Arthur's words. The seal was a trifling thing, but it was the only way to tell her what he needed to explain. It was gold with a ruby set in one end, and in the ruby was a dragon intaglio: her proof that she was of the royal bloodline. If only he had done this sooner, how much suffering could he have prevented?

The seal would give Morgana a legitimate claim to the throne of Camelot - after Arthur, of course. But for once, Uther was not concerned with politics.

* * *

><p>Merlin and Gwen caught up to Uther after half a day's riding, but fell back so as to avoid his notice. It was now a matter of keeping one eye on the king and another on the lookout for more of Morgause's minions.<p>

They followed him to a hill fort, the last before Cenred's castle. Maes Knoll was the highest point for miles around, commanding a clear view of all the surrounding areas. Skirting it would add days to the trip, but going through meant being seen. Uther chose the latter.

As he approached the hill, a white figure on a black steed rode down to intercept him. Uther slowed down and changed course to meet the rider. He was clearly not attacking, but the other rider kicked her horse and held up a hand-axe.

Trouble. Merlin and Gwen sped up.

"Sigrid," said Merlin, as they neared. "What's she doing here?"

"And what's she doing attacking Uther?"

Uther tried to speak to her. He ducked her axe-blade as she rode by. She turned the horse around and took another pass. This time, Uther managed to clothesline her with an elbow, knocking her off her horse. Even in the short time it took him to dismount, she was already on her feet and at the ready with a spear.

"I'd be in bed for a week if I took a hit like that," said Gwen. "How did she get up so fast?"

Sigrid jabbed at Uther with the spear, drawing blood. He was not wearing armor and was virtually unprotected, but she didn't seem to be aiming to kill. That was fortunate for him, as her movements were so quick he couldn't dodge.

"Give me the object," she said tonelessly.

"Morgana summoned me. Let me through."

"Give me the object," she repeated, "or die."

Uther said nothing, only watched her and attempted to parry her strikes. When she lunged at him again, he took hold of the spear and used it to draw her closer. When she was within arms' reach, he tackled her to the ground and they grappled for a few moments. Sigrid overpowered him and sank an elbow into his gut, which left him winded long enough for her to pick up her spear.

That was enough for Merlin. He created a gust of wind that knocked Sigrid off her feet and some distance away.

Uther looked over at him, a maelstrom of emotions playing on his face. "Don't - hurt - her," he gasped.

"She's going to kill you," Merlin pointed out, leaving the _you prat_ implied.

"Bind her," said Gwen. "Y-you can do that, right?"

One never knew until one tried. Sigrid was again already on her feet, sizing him up.

Merlin summoned his power, felt it enter him like a breath of air and sink into every part of his being. When he was ready, he held out an open palm…and clenched it into a fist.

Instantly, Sigrid dropped to her knees, hands at her sides. She was struggling as if tied with ropes, but there was nothing there. Nothing visible, anyway. Merlin exhaled and tried not to look surprised.

"Why are you here?" Uther demanded, still lying on the ground where he had fallen. Evidently he had just enough strength to ask foolish questions.

"We need to get you to a doctor," said Gwen. "Could you ride up to town, do you think?"

"Not…with…you," he gritted out.

Gwen tilted her head to one side. "That's a pity. Because I am all there is standing between you and a slow, lonely death here at the last outpost of nowhere. Six men have already died for this terribly important mission of yours! You're willing to throw away their lives, and your own, to prove what? That a servant isn't worthy to touch your royal ichor?"

Uther squinted up at her. "Can you sew?" he asked.

"I'll have you know that I sew _very well indeed!_"

"Good," said Uther, and passed out.

* * *

><p>With some difficulty, Gwen and Merlin managed to get Uther onto a horse without spilling the rest of his blood. Merlin rode with Sigrid on the other horse, while Gwen walked alongside. This strange caravan made its way up the steep hill to Maes Knoll.<p>

Merlin couldn't stop snickering the whole way.

"Shut up, Merlin," said Gwen.

"No, I understand completely. Sometimes you get a horse running, it takes time to stop."

"Shut _up_, Merlin!" She had to turn away so he wouldn't see her smile.

The fort town was too small to have a doctor. It did have a public house with a vacant room on the ground floor, and that would have to do. They dragged Uther in and dumped him on the bed.

Gwen took a knife out of her bag and began cutting the king's shirt off. "I'll need a cup of sugar and a bucket of fresh water," she told Merlin, without looking up from her work.

Uther's eyes fluttered. "And a bottle of gin," he called after Merlin.

Merlin quickly collected the requested ingredients. When he returned, Gwen had lit a candle and was holding a needle in the flame. She dipped a clean rag in the bucket and washed the blood off Uther's chest.

"Right then," said Merlin, looking anywhere else. "Clean water, sugar, gin. What's the gin for, cleaning the wounds?"

Uther took the bottle and unstoppered it with his teeth. "That's what the sugar is for. The gin is for me." He threw back a mouthful while Gwen began sewing up one of the larger wounds. For once, Merlin was glad of the convention of averting one's eyes before the king. Gwen didn't seem particularly fussed, though. No wonder Gaius always had her by his side during battles.

"Have you…done this before?" Merlin asked Uther. "Been stitched up like a pair of socks, I mean?"

"Battlefield medicine was the best we could do when I first came to these lands. I had something none of the local warlords had, though."

"What's that?"

"Gaius. I can't even count the number of times I'd have been dead without him."

Merlin smiled, pleased to hear the king acknowledge Gaius's talent. Realizing suddenly that the king was sizing him up, he met the king's gaze steadily. Uther fell silent, and Merlin could not tell whether he had been favorably impressed or not.

As the night waxed, the gin waned. Merlin brought up supper, and Gwen took a short break to eat. When she finished, she resumed patching Uther's flesh as calmly and neatly as if she were hemming a dress.

The room smelled like an abattoir, but at least the bleeding had stopped. Merlin brought up another bucket of water and some soap.

"Merlin. There's something I want to know." Uther was slurring his words a bit, and Merlin could see by the candle light that the gin was more than half gone. "Why don't you people just stay out of Camelot? How many do I have to behead, burn, or hang before you all go away?"

Gwen held her breath and watched Merlin's response, but Merlin just looked thoughtful.

"My father was the dragonlord Balinor. Do you remember him?"

Uther nodded.

"He went into hiding to escape you. Cenred's men killed him. My mother tried to hide my abilities, but Ealdor's a small place. She sent me to Gaius. I guess she thought I'd be better off with him than the Druids."

"She was right. The Druids are evil, and Cenred no better."

"Then what could we have done? Where should we have turned?"

Merlin meant the question to be rhetorical, but Uther had an answer.

"You could have allied yourself with Morgause and taken Camelot by force."

Of course he would think that. Merlin shook his head emphatically.

"I believe that one day, when Arthur is king, Camelot will open her borders to people of all walks of life, magical and non, noble and peasant. I also believe that golden age won't - and mustn't - wash in on a tide of blood."

Uther closed his eyes and didn't respond. Gwen touched Merlin's hand and told him to let the king rest. Together, they finished the cleaning and built a fire.

Merlin was settling wearily down on the floor when he realized with a start that he had forgotten all about Sigrid. He'd let his magical hold on her slip, but she was sitting exactly where he'd left her - in a corner, out of the way - like a life-sized doll. He hoped Uther had some idea how to fix her, because he himself had never seen the like.


	8. Souls and Sorcery

When Gwen and Merlin woke late the next morning, the king was still asleep. Gwen wanted to let him rest, but Merlin felt he would prefer to press on. In the end their argument woke him up, and they both thanked their lucky stars that they didn't normally have to deal with him in the morning.

He led them outside and down the hill toward Cenred's castle. When he found a nice flat spot, they stopped.

Uther took the point of his sword and drew a rune on the ground. He took the crystal pendant from around his neck and placed it in the center of the rune. Adding a bit of his own blood, he chanted, "_Gjennom mitt liv, innkalle jeg deg. Akt mitt kall, Eir._"

A lightning bolt cracked out of the clear blue sky and struck the crystal. Uther picked it up and put it back on while Merlin and Gwen gaped at him.

"Magic. That was magic. You did magic," said Merlin.

"You two will not speak of this, of course," said Uther stiffly.

"Then you admit that not all magic is evil? Not every sorcerer always wicked? I won't run my mouth, I just want to hear you say it once."

Even after all he'd seen, the boy was stubbornly clinging to the idea that magic could be used for good. No amount of seeing it gone awry or twisted to bad ends would convince him, it seemed.

"Magic is...unpredictable. Purity of spirit, strength of will - these are of nothing when it comes to magic. Once unleashed, no natural force can stand against it. It is dangerous. Too dangerous."

"I see now. You're afraid. You're afraid because you don't understand it and you can't hit it with a sword."

Uther glared at him. "Are you calling me a coward?"

"Coward? No. Not at all. I just don't understand why you're afraid of magic and _not_ afraid of looking Death in the eye and calling his mother a yeasty strumpet."

Uther turned to Sigrid, who had followed them as docile as a cow. All her noble spirit, joy, hurt, anger, love - gone. That this puppet could walk and talk only made a mockery of everything Sigrid was.

"Look into her eyes and tell me there aren't some things worse than mere death."

To his credit, the boy actually took the time to think about it. "Will we be able to help her?" he asked quietly.

"I believe so." Uther paused to think for a moment. "You were the one who saved Morgana's life when she was fatally wounded. It was you, not Gaius, wasn't it?"

Merlin nodded. "Would you've had me do differently?"

"…No."

Merlin wanted to savor that moment, but he didn't have much time before a winged horse appeared out of approximately nowhere and landed in their midst.

A woman with fair skin and copper-red hair dismounted and looked Uther over.

"You seem to have bungled things rather badly, son-in-law," said the woman. She was wearing silver armor that shimmered in the sunlight. "You're supposed to die in battle, not drag your maimed carcass about like a beaten dog."

"Always a pleasure, Eir," said the king. "But that is not why I summoned you." He stepped aside to let Eir get a better look at Sigrid.

"Where is her soul?"

"I suspect a sorceress called Morgause took it. Have you heard the name?"

"No. But she shall become familiar with mine in the seconds before I flense the meat from her bones."

Uther smiled grimly. "As I hoped."

"Begging your pardon, but what do you mean _took her soul?_" Merlin asked, looking from Eir to Uther and back again. "Is this something we need to worry about?"

"They keep their souls outside their bodies," said Uther. He pointed at a sea-green gem Eir wore inset on a choker.

"…For easier pilfering?" It seemed somewhat impractical to Merlin.

"For harder killing," Eir explained. "When the soul is entwined with the body, a strike hits both."

Something clicked in Merlin's mind. "Then, when Sigrid came to Camelot, she must have had her soul…um, inside? That's why she was afraid."

"Correct. If she had died in that state, her soul would have been lost forever."

"Foolish girl. She should not have taken that kind of risk," said Uther.

Eir regarded him with something approaching warmth. "We do lose a little something when we're untethered from our hearts. Sigrid wanted to return as you remembered her, son-in-law."

Uther raised an eyebrow at Eir. "Why do you persist in calling me that?"

"Did my daughter not bring you a token of her affection?"

Uther nodded, touching the crystal pendant.

"And did you not swear oaths to each other?"

He answered in the affirmative.

Eir leaned in a little. "Then perhaps you did not consummate your union?"

"Now that is really no concern of yours -"

"What more would you deem necessary for a wedding, son-in-law?" She clapped him hard on the shoulder. "Let us go hence and burn some witches."

As they rode towards Cenred's castle, Merlin noticed that Eir was watching him. Staring, really. Almost leering.

"Something I can do for you, my lady?" he asked, finally.

"Have you ever contemplated your afterlife, Merlin?"

"Ah, not really," said Merlin, wondering if he should try to angle his horse away from her. "Why d'you ask?"

"I'd like you to come with me to the hall of the gods. All in good time, of course." She smiled, which for most people would have been a reassuring gesture. But Eir's face betrayed very little of her thoughts; whether that was because she held tight rein on them or a side effect of keeping her soul in a gem, was hard to say.

"What interest do you have in the boy?" Uther asked.

"His aura is…fascinating."

Merlin frowned. "My what now?"

"The light of a soul cannot be contained by the frail shell of a mortal body. It is always shining, though you do not see it. Yours is golden, like the dragon of your lord's emblem. I have never seen another like it. Though I have seen the matching crimson," she added, with a little tease in her voice.

Gwen gave Merlin a "good for you" grin.

"Who's my soulmate? Gwen?" said Merlin, more to bait Gwen than anything.

Eir glanced at her. "Lavender aura. No doubt she will make a fine wife, but unsuitable for our purposes."

That intrigued Merlin. "What purposes?"

"We collect the most valiant and noble warriors to fight alongside the gods for the fate of the world. They must be bold, for our side is prophesied to lose." There was that smile again. "Arthur is the crimson. We will certainly try to recruit him as well."

At that, Uther actually slowed down to get a better look at him. Ever since he and Gwen saved the king's life - again - Merlin had the distinct feeling that Uther was keeping a running tally on them both. It was disconcerting, but it was also something of an improvement on the way the king had previously looked right through him.

The king said, "Your soul is a valuable commodity. If you choose to sell it, make sure you get a good price."

Merlin supposed Uther meant him to take that advice back to Arthur, but still. _The king gave me fatherly advice. Arthur wouldn't even believe this if I told him._


	9. A Consummation Devoutly to be Wished

The great doors to Cenred's castle opened of their own accord.

"That's always a good sign," Merlin said, keeping at the ready to bind Sigrid again if she turned on them.

Morgause was waiting in the entrance hall. When Merlin last saw her, she was nearly dead; now she looked as healthy as ever. He half-hoped Eir would kill her, because he wasn't sure anyone else could.

"Here is your glorious battle, Eir," said Uther.

Eir drew a two-handed axe from the sheath on her back and faced Morgause. "You have something that does not belong to you."

"I have no time for this," Morgause hissed, drawing her sword and making to follow Uther. Eir hooked the head of her axe around Morgause's ankle and pulled her to the ground in one neat movement. She followed that up with an overhead strike, but Morgause was too fast - she was on her feet while the axe was still swinging, and Eir barely had time to block her sword.

The women moved so fast Merlin had a hard time following what was happening. He had been instructed to stay behind and help Eir, but she wasn't giving Morgause any opportunity to cast a spell. They were so close together, locked in combat, that Merlin could not hit one without hitting the other.

Finally, Morgause got in a good hit on Eir, sending her sprawling into the great staircase. In the short time Eir was helpless, Morgause didn't move to attack, but Sigrid stirred.

_That mistake will be your last_, thought Merlin, ignoring Sigrid and continuing to watch Morgause. The sorceress was cupping her hand around something - Sigrid's phylactery, surely. That was all he needed to know, anything else was just a -

THUNK.

Sigrid crashed to the ground at Merlin's feet, courtesy of Eir's axe.

"Idiot," said Eir helpfully. "Any mummer can keep two balls in the air."

"I thought she was going to attack you," Merlin said blankly. But Eir had already drawn Sigrid away from him and couldn't hear over the clash of blades on armor.

With the valkyries out of the way, Merlin could see that Morgause had to focus to control Sigrid. She probably could have beaten him back if he attacked her with a sword, but that was precisely why he never bothered carrying one.

Merlin turned to Morgause, drawing his own power to him. "Let's see how well you juggle."

* * *

><p>Uther and Gwen found Morgana waiting in the throne room, sitting on Cenred's throne.<p>

"You requested my presence," said Uther.

"You finally made it. A few knights shy, but still," said Morgana. She was smiling, eyes shining, clearly enjoying herself.

"I have sacrificed many men for your sake. Please, Morgana, no more."

Morgana abruptly stopped smiling. "Wrong. One more." She drew a sword and held it at the ready.

"At least see what I've brought you." He held out the seal.

Cautiously, she moved closer until it was within arms' reach. "What is this?"

"The proof of your heritage."

Morgana snatched it out of his hand and moved away to take a closer look. "That…that's impossible."

"It is done. There is a record in the royal library. I recognize you and claim you as my daughter."

"Your image -"

"- be damned. I am only sorry that I didn't do it long ago."

"This means nothing. It changes nothing," said Morgana, but she held the seal tightly.

Uther moved closer slowly, until she was near enough to touch. He embraced her gently, and she did not resist. His fresh wounds protested, but he ignored the pain and held her tighter.

"Come back with me," he said, stroking her hair. "Let the past rest."

"I can't come back after what I've done."

"That was my fault. My mistakes led you down that path. Come home, and I swear to you things will be different."

She pulled away and looked into his eyes, searching. "Then you are willing to lift the ban on magic in Camelot?"

Was she honestly asking that, of all the things she could request? He was caught off guard and took a moment to answer. "No…that can never happen."

"Then how can I come with you, when I don't have a home waiting?"

"Of course you will have a home - "

"Where those like me are forced to hide like rats fleeing the sun! You still don't understand." Tears were welling up in her eyes. She closed them and let the tears go. When she opened her eyes again, there was nothing left but bitterness and rage. "You will never understand. Morgause told me so, and she was right."

She set down the seal carefully and readied her sword again.

Uther drew his sword as well. "You are the one who does not understand. Your Morgause wouldn't have told you the truth about how things were before the Great Purge. It's true, I made Camelot a dangerous place for some. But I made it far safer for most. To what other oppressed classes shall I grant amnesty? Highwaymen? Murderers?"

"_We aren't murderers!_"

With that, Morgana flew at her father. He parried her blows, but her skills had only improved where his had deteriorated. Blood began to seep through his shirt where his patched flesh tore.

Holding up a hand, Uther dropped to one knee, breathing hard. "If…if Arthur were king, would you still seek to destroy Camelot?"

"That would depend on Arthur, now wouldn't it?"

"Then kill me, if you think it will bring you peace. And let that be the end of your revenge." He threw down his sword.

Morgana picked up the seal again and felt its heft in her hand. With seal in one hand and sword in the other, she approached Uther.

"You made me do this," she said, and plunged the sword into her father's chest.

* * *

><p>For a moment, all was silent.<p>

Then Morgause ran into the throne room, slamming the door shut behind her and binding it magically.

"We don't have much time, sister, Merlin was able to free the valkyrie and -" she looked down at her feet, which had gotten into the pool of blood, and saw Uther's body. "You defeated him! Well done, sister!"

"He didn't fight," said Morgana numbly. "It wasn't a defeat, it was an execution." She turned her eyes up to Morgause, silently pleading with her to understand. They had assumed this would be a happy occasion, but she found herself wanting comfort more than anything.

But Morgause just laughed. "However it happened, you have slain the tyrant that oppressed us these many years. Let us return to our people and feast!"

Morgana tried to smile. She had her revenge on Uther, as she wanted. She even had proof of her bloodline, a legitimate claim to the throne of Camelot. Yet she felt as if her insides had been torn out. In spite of everything she'd experienced, everything she had done and was done to her, she still felt that a man's death was not cause for celebration.

Morgause had not noticed the seal. Morgana quietly tucked it into her purse and out of sight, as her sister readied the spell that would carry them to the Druids.

* * *

><p>When Merlin burst into the throne room, the sisters were gone and Gwen was kneeling next to Uther. She had closed his eyes and taken the sword out of his chest.<p>

Merlin ran a hand through his hair. Uther dead. Morgana and Morgause escaped. He did not look forward to explaining this to Arthur.

The valkyries followed him in and examined the body impassively.

Sigrid knelt on Uther's other side and took the crystal pendant from around his neck. As she held it up to the light, Merlin could see it was now filled with something misty and blood-colored.

"Merlin, I must thank you for freeing me from Morgause," said Sigrid. "When you wish the debt repaid, you may use this to summon me." She handed him a polished stone with a rune carved in it. "Do give Arthur my regards."

Eir and Sigrid left, and Gwen and Merlin were alone.

Merlin rubbed the rune stone with his thumb. "We may need this sooner rather than later. When Arthur sees what's happened, he's going to want revenge."

"No," said Gwen. "Uther wanted the bad blood between Arthur and Morgana to end here. He gave his life for that to happen. Arthur may not like it, but he will respect it."

"Any chance Morgana will, too?"

Gwen nodded. "There's always hope. Maybe this is the beginning of your golden age, Merlin."

"Maybe. The king is dead…long live the king."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> I love Uther lots, but he does have to die to make way for Arthur's Camelot. This fic was intended to be a noble sendoff for him - something he may or may not get on the show. So I never considered letting him live…until I got to the duel scene and Morgana really wanted to stay her hand. Even fictional people can surprise you sometimes. :)

The title comes from the Robert Laurence Binyon poem _Penthesilea_, based on a particular episode in the Trojan War. Amazon queen Penthesilea joins the Trojan War on the losing side, offering King Priam "one silver summons - hope." She later reveals that her intent is to die honorably in battle, as penance for accidentally killing her sister while hunting. When I started writing, I thought Uther's plan from the beginning was to let Morgana kill him. After finishing the whole thing I have a different idea of when that decision came, but it's up to the reader to decide!


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